Gaggle

Gaggle is an powerful system with options for email, message boards, chat rooms, now blogs. The Gaggle account gives users access to all these communication toos as options. These tools can be made available or unavailable by the administrator who sets the priviledges and access levels. The advertising-free version is fee-based and is available in two options: the Standard Subscription version and the Installed Software License

Security Levels:

1. All student email can be viewed and monitored
2. All messages are filtered to identify inappropriate language
3. Gaggle uses "blocked text" and "blocked address" - these lists can be edited
4. Anti-Pornography scanner engineered to identify and block obscene visual depictions, child pornography, or images harmful to minors
5. Notifications of violations sent to the teacher who set up the accounts
6. Additional message header information is added to identify the computer and the time messages were sent
7. Students are initially asked to view use policy and agree to acceptable use guidelines
8. Message boards have a "Report Abuse Link" where students can anomyously report offensive comments.
9. Gaggle has Virus and Spam control - levels of security and a Report Spam button

Ease of Use:

1. Students login to Gaggle to access the features set by their teacher.
2. Fully functional email system - functions can be set to limit the features
3. Built-in Address Groups - based on the access level set when accounts are created

Look & Feel:

1. Friendly interface to the communication tools for students
2. Format is intuitive and has features typical of many popular programs
3. Extensive options in Administative Controls

**Funding Option:

• The E-rate program will pay for up to 90% of the cost of a Gaggle subscription. For more

information on E-rate please check out: __http://gaggle.net/erate_470.html__

---

Option 1: Standard Subscription Version

Features:

1. 25 megs of space per user
2. Can also send and retrieve mail from Outlook, Eudora etc.
3. Online Spell checking
4. District level accounts for controlling multiple schools
5. Advanced Virus Protection

Set-Up:

1. Teacher registers online and is given the School Master username and password
2. Lists of students can be imported
3. Teacher sets up the individual student acounts and sets an initial password
4. Students can then logon, changing the password if desired.
5. Extensive user guides for the adinistrator and web support: http://www.gaggle.net/system_help/help_index.html

Cost:
Accounts Needed Price Per Account

• 0 - 249 $4.25
• 250 - 999 $4.00
• 1,000 - 4,999 $3.25
• 5,000 - 9,999 $3.00
• 10,000+ $2.75

---

Option 2: Installed Software License for District's Server
Features:

1. Gaggle software license is remotely installed on the district's server
2. Gaggle sets up the server and then supports and monitors the system
3. Software is java based running on Linux Red Hat 9.0
4. Updated sofware installed each year.

Set-Up:

1. District expert in java, Linux and databases is recommended
2. Campus or district personnel still set up user accounts and set access levels and priviledges
3. Lists of students can be imported

Cost:

• First year cost starts at $6,000 for the server and $1.25 for each account needed beyond 3,000 users.
• Subsequent years is $1.25 per account with a minimum renewal price of $4,000.